Welcome to our brand new weekly series, ‘ESCXTRA’s 2018 Hopefuls’, in which we will tell you who we would like to see in Eurovision next year! This series will keep you entertained with new music from across Europe every Monday until the national final season begins next year, and may give you somebody new to root for to represent your country! Today, we look at who we want to see represent Albania in Eurovision 2018. Let’s get started!
Genta Ismajli
Genta Ismajli won the seventh edition of the Albanian music contest Kënga Magjike. Many fans call for this show to replace Festivali i Këngës as the Albanian selection for Eurovision, so this already bodes well for Genta!
Genta’s music has a very similar feel to it as Fergie’s music. Her music is particularly popular among younger people, so Genta representing Albania in Eurovision could draw in lots of new younger viewers for the show! It’d also be something very different to the entries that we’ve got from Festivali i Këngës.
Rozana Radi
Rozana Radi has also took part in Kënga Magjike, but she has participated 6 times, from 2009 to 2013 and in 2016! Her best score came in 2010, when she came in third place with Valsi i tradhetisë, which she sung together with Ramadan Krasniqi.
Rozana’s ballads tend to have a great power behind them, and she has to be one of the best performers in Albania. Her emotion really shows when she is singing on stage! We believe that she could easily bring Albania back to the Eurovision final with her amazing vocals.
Era Istrefi
Ok, I know, we need to include somebody who wasn’t in Kënga Magjike! So, now we have Era Istrefi. She rose to fame in Albania after the release of her debut single Mani për money in 2013 at the age of 19! This fame spread to worldwide in 2016 with the release of her single BonBon.
Era is often referred to as Albania’s response to Rihanna. Like Genta, Era could bring a lot of new, younger viewers to Eurovision! Her music is so catchy, and before you know it, you’ve listened to each of her songs many times. To see Era Istrefi for Albania in Eurovision would be great, and something new for Albania!
Next week, we will look at who we want to see represent France!
What do you think of our hopefuls? Is there anybody else you’d like to see for Albania in Eurovision? Do the idea of any of these artists excite you? Tell us in the comments below!
Comments on ESCXTRA’s 2018 Hopefuls: Albania